Become a Committee Member

Calling all volunteers..... We need your help!

The Town has received a limited number of applications for several vacancies. For more information on the vacant committees click here.

Volunteering for the Town is one of the best examples of government and people working together for the good of our community. It will give you an insider's look at how local government works, and an opportunity to share your talents, skills, and feedback on how to better serve our customers.

We consider our volunteers one of the most diverse and rich resources in our community, and we're happy to have you join us.

Water Restrictions in Atherton

In order to achieve state-mandated water use reductions necessitated by historic drought conditions, Cal Water has filed its Schedule 14.1 with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). Cal Water’s Schedule 14.1 provides for household and business water budgets and associated enforcement measures to reduce water use in its districts.

Cal Water districts throughout California must achieve between an 8- to 36-percent reduction in water use, as set by the Board, from their usage during July through September 2013.

Beginning on June 1st Atherton residents who use Cal Water service will be required to cut water usage 36% from their 2013 usage. The customer’s monthly bill will show his or her water budget for the following month. Customers’ water use history through 2013 will also be available online at www.calwater.com beginning in June. Below is information on the prohibited uses.

Prohibited Use

No runoff to street or adj. property from non-irrigated areas

No car washing unless a shut off nozzle is installed

No washing off driveways or sidewalks

No fountains unless they are recirculating

No irrigation after 48 hours of rainfall of 1/10th of an inch

Drip or micro spray systems only on new installations of turf

Medians can only be watered by drip irrigation if potable water is used

At this time it is uncertain watering will be limited to certain days of the week. Additionally, water wells may become regulated.

And don't forget Cal Water is holding a water awareness festival at Holbrook-Palmer Park on Tuesday, May 12 from 4PM to 7PM. Please attend the free event to learn about water conservation methods while enjoying music, food, face painting, raffle prizes and more.

Congrats to the Atherton Tree Committee

Efforts to predict the emergence and spread of sudden oak death (SOD), an infectious tree-killing disease, have gotten a big boost from the work of grassroots volunteers.

A joint study reveals the power of citizen science in SOD Blitz, a survey project in which volunteers are trained to identify symptoms of sudden oak death. Led by Matteo Garbelotto at UC Berkeley and Ross Meentemeyer at North Carolina State University, the study was published last Friday in the journal Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment.

The Atherton Tree Committee has participate in the project since its inception.

“This shows that volunteers are as proficient as professionals in collecting data after they get some initial training,” said study principal investigator Garbelotto, an adjunct professor and cooperative extension specialist at UC Berkeley’s Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management. “The data we got from SOD Blitz resulted in the formulation of the best predictive model yet about the spread of sudden oak death in California. Additionally, we were able to identify new infestations and identify trees that needed to be removed. In one case, in Atherton, tree removal resulted in the only successful eradication of the pathogen in North America.”